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Abondance
The Abbey was founded during the early 12th century by Canons Regular of Saint Augustine. They developed the abbey to such an extent that it quickly became one the most important spiritual centers in the Alps. In the 15th century began a new form of administration: the abbot was no longer elected by the community, but nominated by the Duchy of Savoy. It led to the decline of the abbey. At the beginning of the 17th century, Saint Francis of Sales, bishop of Geneva, exceeded by the canons' behavior, obtained their replacement by another religious community: Cistercians monks. The Abondance Abbey was definitely closed (in 1761), a few years before French Revolution (1789). Nowadays, the Abondance Abbey is a public property, administration is trying to preserve this inestimable heritage.
- The Cloister
Central place of the Abbey, this was the part where meditation and spirituals took place. The masterpiece of the cloister is the set of murals of the 15th century, depicting Virgin Mary's life once in a local landscape once in a Piedmont one.
- The Monastery
Currently, the monastery welcomes different activities: city hall, music's rooms, Some rooms are dedicated to an exhibition Art and History: the sacred heritage of the Abondance valley which presents rare sacred pieces and the local religious life.
- The Abbey Church
Built in Gothic style during the 13th century, most of the church's interior was decorated by Casimir Vicario in the 19th century. He completed the trompe-l'oeil wall paintings and statues as well as the paintings that decorate the vaulting and triforium. The church's liturgical function in the community has never been interrupted and today the church is the center of the parish Saint Maurice en vallée d'Abondance.
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